Fit to Burst
by Kagen Brown
Summary: Romance between Saren and OC. Starts a few years before events of Mass Effect 1. Will span multiple stories, this is just the beginning. Rated M for adult situation.
1. Chapter 1

**Ok so this is my first fanfiction so any feed back would be great. I know you don't have much to go on yet but I hope you like what I have. If you have any suggestions to help me better grasp Saren's character I would appreciate it. Thanks.**

The ship's console beeped twice, letting Saren know that he had reached his destination. A school, not unlike Grissom Academy. The only real difference was that humans did not make up the entire student body. In fact there were very few human students enrolled in the school. It was for the elite after all. If someone had told Saren that a human could have been skilled enough to pass the entrance exam, he would have laughed, yes laughed in their faces.

But regardless of Saren's hatred of humans, a few talented teenagers had passed and were admitted into the school. That wasn't the reason that he was visiting though. A few days ago, the Academy suddenly went silent. There had been no communication to anyone, not even the student's families. However there was no distress call either so no one had bothered to investigate. But Saren had a feeling that something was wrong. This wasn't the sort of issue he usually focused on but he had heard that the students had been working on some interesting weapon prototypes and he figured that he could scavenge for new equipment while investigating the reasons behind the radio silence.

When he was close enough, he tried contacting the school to request permission to dock. There was no reply. "Liam, see if you can access the controls for the docking bay."

The AI's holographic image appeared, "One moment. Accessing Docking bay controls."

A portion on the school's outer wall slid open and Saren guided the ship inside and landed. After properly attaching his helmet, Saren exited the ship and found his way into the school. It seemed deserted. No students or teachers of any species, alive or dead. He continued along the corridors until he came to what he assumed to be the classrooms. He opened the first door he came to and discovered what had happened to the students.

Some were still at their desks, some were against the walls or on the floor, having stood up to try to run or maybe fight. But they all were dead. The next few classrooms were pretty much the same. Saren didn't bother searching these rooms for anything useful. Anything worth taking would be in the school's labs. A security room caught his eye next. There would probably be footage of what had happened here. He copied all of the data from a security console before continuing his search. Next he reached the dining hall. Bodies were scattered here as well. Not just students but soldiers as well. They weren't from any group Saren recognized but their similarly colored armor he guessed they were mercenaries. A soft beeping noise started up across the room and Saren moved toward it, gun raised. The sound came from a cabinet in the kitchen area of the hall. Saren pulled the doors open to find a human girl, about 17, curled up and unconscious, but still alive. Uninterested in any human survivors, Saren shut the cabinet again and continued on his way.

It wasn't hard for him to find the labs and just like he had figured, there were all kinds of experimental technology. Guns, shields, barriers, mods, the sheer amount of stuff here nearly overwhelmed Saren. He methodically started going through everything. It wasn't like the students needed them anymore.

He found quite a few interesting gadgets. New weapons to try out and barrier generators that he thought might come in handy. He piled everything up neatly and was about to pick it all up when he noticed a presence behind him. He whirled, pulling his gun out as he did. The girl he had seen earlier stood in the lab entrance, watching him carefully. She wasn't armed, but Saren leveled his weapon at her anyway. She held her arms in the air and stepped toward him.

"You aren't a Mercenary, at least not one of the ones who attacked this place. Who are you?"

Saren didn't answer her at first. She didn't seem like she was all that dangerous but she had survived somehow while all of the other students had been killed so he didn't want to let his guard down.

"I am a council Spectre."

She scowled at him. "I wanted a name."

"You're not getting one."

He had no reason to hide his identity but he didn't like how she just expected him to answer her. She continued to glare at the turian spectre and he glared right back. Finally she moved over to a wall and leaned against it, casually crossing one ankle over the other and folding her arms across her chest. Saren watched her for a moment, before lowering his weapon cautiously and turning his attention back to the pile in front of him. He still kept an eye on her as he gathered up his loot and turned to exit the labs. The girl made no move to attack him, but followed him back through the school, walking quickly to keep up with his long strides.

"You aren't here to get survivors, are you?"

"No."

"So you just came to steal from us."

He didn't answer.

"Take me with you." She continued.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to take you with me."

She jogged around him and stood in his way. "Well that's selfish of you. All I need is a ride. The mercs that attacked blew up all of the shuttles so I've had no choice but to wait for someone to come. You're here now and I want to come with you."

They were in a hallway with student lockers lining the walls. Saren grabbed the girl by the collar, spun her and shoved her into an open one, slamming the door shut before she could recover. Through the slots in the door, he could see her glaring out at him. "Someone else should be here within the next twenty four hours. I don't need a child bothering me right now."

With that, he continued on his way. It didn't take him long to get back to his ship. He placed his newly acquired equipment in the cargo hold.

"Liam, get the ship ready to take off."

The AI confirmed the order and Saren went to his quarters to file a report on his trip to the academy. The council could decide whether to send anyone to retrieve the human student. In fifteen minutes, Liam informed him that the ship was ready. Saren took the controls and guided the ship out of the docking bay and away from the school.

His next mission involved finding a mercenary group that had been responsible for attacks on several Turian colonies. The colonists had been able to put up a good fight but they were having trouble locating the group's main base. That's where Saren would come in. He entered the coordinates into the ship's computer and set off. Satisfied that the journey would be uneventful, he settled down at his desk to go over the mission details again and come up with a plan.

It had been about an hour when Liam's voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"Spectre Arterius, there is an unauthorized passenger in cargo bay."

"WHAT!" Saren jumped out of his seat, snatched his gun from its case and made his way to the cargo bay. He had a pretty good idea who he would find there, but how she had gotten on his ship without being noticed, he had no idea. He burst through the doors, expecting to have to search for her. But she was just sitting there; on a crate next to the items he had taken from the school. One of the barrier machines was sitting in her lap and she was tinkering with it. She didn't even glance up as he entered.

"What are you doing here human?" He kept his voice low, menacing, in an attempt to frighten her.

She did look up then, though only briefly before turning back to her work. "I wasn't about to spend the next twenty- four hours stuck in a locker waiting for a ship that might never come when there was another perfectly good ship about to leave."

He growled. "And how did you get on my ship?"

She simply lifted her wrist to reveal a small device strapped onto it. A cloaking device. Saren hadn't bothered taking it because he hardly ever used the one he had. The device obviously didn't use the standard method for cloaking. Liam would have detected her immediately.

Saren stalked toward her. "I said that I didn't need a child aboard my ship."

She raised her eyes to glare at him. "I'm not a child and I can stay out of your way. All I need is a ride to the citadel. I can even pay you if that's what you want."

"I will not abandon my own schedule for your benefit."

She scowled and set the device she had been working on aside. Standing, she stepped up to the spectre, crossing her arms and looking up at him defiantly.

"Then I'll just stay here until your schedule opens up."

Saren growled now. This girl was getting on his nerves. "I will allow you to remain on this ship until we reach my next destination."

"If that destination isn't the citadel then I'll just sneak back onto the ship."

"Then I'll shoot you out of the airlock."

"Just try it."

A challenge. Saren could have easily done just that. She was small, only coming up to the middle of his chest and no matter how elite she was, she couldn't stand up to the council's best spectre. Still, something told him that he shouldn't try to kill her. He ignored it.

He placed his gun on a nearby table and lunged at her, managing to grab her hair. It was blonde and fell to the middle of her back and it was easy for him to get a good grip. She shrieked; a sound high enough to hurt his eardrums. He yanked hard on her hair but that only made her raise the pitch of her wail. Saren started dragging her backward toward the airlock. She spun in his grip, not seeming to notice that she ripped a good amount of hair out as she did. She slammed a hand into the crook of his elbow, forcing him to bend his arm. This along with the length of her hair, allowed her to jump onto his back. Instinct made him immediately flip her over his shoulder. She twisted again in midair in order to land on her hands and feet. She glared up at Saren and pulled a knife from her sleeve. Lunging at him, she swiped the blade towards his arm. She would either cut her hair to free herself or he would let go to avoid getting hit. He didn't let go but released enough of her hair to allow the blade to safely pass his hand. She continued with her attack, slicing through the strands until the bunch that was still in the spectre's grasp came off.

He tossed it aside and grabbed at her again. She spun away, just barely avoiding him. They were closer to the airlock now and though she had meant to anger him, she hadn't expected him to actually try and kill her. She tried to dodge as he came at her again, but he caught her wrist and pulled her to him, snatching her other arm and pinning both of them behind her back. He pushed her toward the airlock, keeping a vice grip on her wrists. She struggled, but to no avail. He paused for just a second in front of the door and she leaned forward and swept her leg up and behind her. That was something Saren hadn't expected and he couldn't react fast enough to avoid her foot as she smashed her heel into the side of his face. He didn't let go of her though, only shoved her into the open airlock. Of balance from her kick, she fell to her knees. The doors to the airlock slid shut and sealed.

Instead of getting up and banging on the doors like Saren expected. She began furiously working on her Omni-tool. Liam's voice filled the cargo bay.

"Spectre Arterius, she is accessing the ship's protocols. I am unable to stop her."

Saren's ship had the most advanced protocols with encryptions and firewalls to protect it from any hacking attempts. Liam also added another layer of security. Even if she was human, Saren had to admit that she had been admitted to the Academy for a reason. In seconds, she had taken control of the ship and disabled the airlock. The door slid open and she stood and walked past Saren, sitting back down on the crate and resuming work on her device.

Saren picked up his gun and aimed at her. She had really started to annoy him. However something in his gut still told him that he should let her live. She was definitely skilled. Maybe she could be of some use. He lowered his weapon and she looked at him curiously.

"You will remain down here. Understand human?"

She smirked and raised her hand to her forehead in a sloppy salute. Saren turned and stalked out of the cargo bay. Just before the doors closed, he heard her call out to him.

"Oh and Saren, my name is Cira."

**So there is is. Cira is my OC. Hope you like her. She is not incredibly powerful just to let you know. Just smart. She has to be in order to be a student in this school. Anyway, hope you enjoyed. Reviews would be greatly appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to those who reviewed. You're awesome. Just letting you know that Fit to Burst is going to be the first out of a few short stories about Cira and Saren. So sit back, relax and enjoy Chapter 2.**

It didn't take long for Saren to locate the mercenary group's base. It was on a small planet with an Asari city similar to the one on Illium. Outside the city, there were only the wastelands. Somewhere out there was the structure that housed the group's leader. Saren set out early in the morning, having found a method of ground transportation within the city. It would be a while before he reached the coordinates where the base was supposed to be so he settled into his seat focused entirely on driving the Mako toward his goal.

He hadn't bothered to tell Cira that he would be leaving. She would figure it out on her own. Saren had asked Liam to alert him if she left the ship. If she wasn't on board when he was ready to leave, she was staying here. He didn't really care either way. If she was left behind, she wouldn't be a bother to him anymore. If she remained on the ship, maybe she could be of some use. She seemed to be quite the Tech expert and as for combat, she had potential. He let his mind wander, thinking of ways that he could put her tech skills to use as he sped toward his destination.

* * *

Back on the ship, Cira was just waking. She had built a makeshift bed by pushing crates together. She was curious as to what was in them but she did have some boundaries and wouldn't go snooping through another person's things unless she had a really good reason to. She couldn't find Saren anywhere and when she asked Liam, the AI who had tried to stop her hacking attempt, he informed her that Spectre Arterius was "out".

She took the time to explore the ship. It wasn't that big, but then it didn't need to be. The only passenger was Saren, usually. There was the main room where the ship's controls were, Saren's cabin, the cargo hold where Cira was staying, an escape pod, and a small armory. She investigated the last room thoroughly. There were display cases holding all kinds of weapons. Cira recognized some of them. They were rare weapons that had never been mass produced because they were deemed to hazardous to be used in real combat. Still if one was in a desperate situation, these weapons might just do the trick.

When she had examined everything in the room, she decided that she didn't want to wait on the ship for Saren to return. She entered the city, wandering around and browsing through the various shops. She had credits to spend so she purchased a few new "toys" for herself. After her shopping was done, she began asking around, trying to find any clue as to the location of a turian spectre with a bad attitude.

* * *

Saren stopped the Mako a little ways away from the base. There weren't many guards posted outside and they hadn't noticed him yet. Saren always tried his best to avoid fighting. Not that he cared about the lives of these worthless beings, but he considered it to be troublesome to have to fight his way to his target. If it came to that though, he had no problem disposing of anyone who got in his way. The guards were not trained well and weren't even really paying attention to their surroundings. Sneaking up on the first one was easy. She was an Asari and was leaning lazily against a low wall. Saren crept up behind her and effortlessly snapped her neck. Taking out the rest of the guards went just as smoothly.

There were four large hangar doors that led into the building. Two were open. Saren approached the one closest to him, gun drawn and ready to shoot anyone who appeared. Beyond the door was a wide area with two small fighters. There were no pilots and no one was at the controls on the second level. At the far end of the hangar, another door led further in. This door opened into a hallway. Saren crept along, peeking around corners and being as quiet as possible. He encountered no one which was odd. This was the base of operations for the mercs so there should be more guards stationed here. It crossed Saren's mind that the information from his source might be incorrect. Maybe this wasn't where the leader was. Still, He was here now and he might as well look around. The hallway turned this way and that, sometimes branching off in different directions. It was a very strange design and Saren started to think that maybe it was a trap of some sort. A maze. He kept going though, watching his surroundings carefully. Eventually the hallway led into a small room. It was completely empty and one of the walls was made entirely out of glass. The room beyond was to dark for Saren to see. It seemed to be something like an observation room.

Realization dawned on him and he hurried back the way he came. It was too late. A door slid shut, blocking his exit. He cursed himself for not being more careful. He was better than this. The lights in the adjacent room flickered to life and Saren saw his target. Relena Kantiss, the Asari running the group of mercs. She stood at a control panel, grinning smugly in at her captive.

"I really didn't expect you to get caught so easily. I mean, you are Saren Arterius, Council Spectre. I'm disappointed."

Saren growled lightly. The Asari's mocking tone making him grind his teeth together. This wouldn't be an easy situation to get out of. But he wasn't considered the Council's best for nothing. It wasn't possible for him to get out of the room. The glass was too strong and he couldn't break it with his current equipment. But if Liam could hack into the base's system, he could get the door open. He was about to contact the AI when he noticed a vent, in the ceiling of the room Relena was in. It was being pulled open, ever so slowly. Saren was careful not to stare at it for too long to avoid drawing the Asari's attention to it.

* * *

Cira poked her head down into the room. After taking a quick look around, she spotted Saren, trapped in a small room and visible only through a wall of glass. There was an Asari in the room, along with a few guards. Saren had noticed her, but it seemed no one else had. She pulled her head back up and sat in the vent, thinking. Saren probably didn't need any help. She had learned more than his name when she researched him after she first boarded his ship. She knew he was talented and most likely had a way out of this situation. But she also knew that he hated humans. Having a human rescue him would probably embarrass him. And that was something she had no problem with.

Having decided to help, she jumped down from the vent, landing silently, which didn't really matter because the guards were already facing her direction. Cira rolled quickly to her right to avoid getting shot and crouched behind a security console. She pulled one o her new toys off of her hip; A SMG. She had purchased two, along with some mods for them. She had only fired a gun a few times in her life, when testing out new mods at the school, but she knew how to shoot straight. She had proven that when she had fought some of the mercenaries that attacked the academy.

She leaned out of cover and fired at one of the guards. Her shields went down quickly and within moments she was dead. Cira ducked back behind the console as the remaining guards opened fire. The Asari that had been watching Saren retreated until she was near the door, behind the two guards. Cira pulled out a flash grenade; something else she had picked up. She tossed it toward the three Asari and covered her own eyes as it went off. When it was safe, she darted out of cover and charged toward the temporarily blinded guards. She disarmed them quickly, knocking them to the ground and kicking their weapons away. The third Asari had slipped through the door before the grenade went off. Cira debated whether to kill the two Asari guards. At the moment they were no threat to her, so she shoot their legs, effectively incapacitating them. She approached the console the Asari, who was obviously their leader, had been at. Saren was still trapped in the room beyond the glass and he seemed angry. Cira guessed that the Asari that had fled had been the one he was after.

* * *

Saren had watched helplessly as Cira dropped down and quickly took out the guards. While this had been going on, he had instructed Liam to find a way to open the door that kept him in here. The human girl had managed to take down the guards but Relena had escaped and she was who Saren needed dead or alive. Finally Liam succeeded and the door slid open. Saren raced back through the hallways. Relena probably headed for one of the hangars looking for an escape. A lot of the hallways had been closed off. The maze was probably set up so that sections could be sealed or opened depending on where one needed to go. There was only one path that Saren had access to so he followed it, only to end up right back in the same room.

* * *

Cira stared after Saren as he ran from the room, probably chasing after the escaped Asari. Cira didn't know what Saren wanted with her, but decided to help him once again. She hacked into the facilities systems. It was easier then Saren's ship since it wasn't as advanced or as well protected. She brought up an image of the maze and made note of where the exits were and her current location.

She closed off all of the exits, leaving no way out of the maze. Next, she made a circular path for Saren to follow, leading him right back here. After a minute, he reentered the room looking confused and annoyed as he spotted her. She held up a hand, signaling for him to wait. Cira turned her attention back to the maze. Only one path was open that led to the hangars so that had to be the one the Asari had taken. Cira guessed that the Asari was somewhere near the middle of the route. After making a few quick calculations, she closed one door, waited, then closed another, then another. If her calculations had been correct, which they usually were, then the Asari leader was now trapped in a section near the southern end of the maze. She signaled to Saren, telling him to leave the room and opened a path for him that led directly to the Asari leader

* * *

Saren followed the path set before him. He was annoyed that Cira had helped him when he really hadn't needed it. He thought that maybe annoying him had been her goal. He scowled bitterly as he made his way through the hall. When the next door opened, Relena was there. Saren didn't hesitate to take his anger out on her. Even though she was wanted dead or alive, alive was preferable. He took the butt of his gun and smacked her with it, knocking her out. He carried her back through the hallway to the observation room so that Cira could open a path to the outside.

When they were both inside the Mako, with the Asari Mercenary bound and unconscious, Saren turned the vehicle around and headed back to the city. He didn't care how Cira had managed to trap the Asari in her own maze or how she had acquired two guns, flash grenades and who knows what else when she was only 17. But he had become more curious as to how exactly she had survived the attack on the Academy. She could fight. She needed training, but she had the basics down. Still that wouldn't have helped her against such a large number of mercenaries. He decided that when they made it back to the ship, he would take a look at the security recordings he had picked up from the school. Maybe they held some answers.

**Not much dialogue sorry. Still, hope you enjoyed! Please review. Thanks.**


	3. Chapter 3

Saren was angry. With Cira and with himself. Not only had he fallen right into a trap, but the human student had come to his rescue. He was disgusted and humiliated but he would have his revenge.

The Asari mercenary had been imprisoned within the city, where she would be until the council decided what to do with her. Saren sat at the controls of his ship, looking over three separate missions. The one that seemed most interesting to him involved investigating a group of Batarian pirates. He was going over the details of that particular mission when the door to the cargo bay slid open. He didn't look up but he could hear her footsteps as she entered. Cira approached him and glanced over his shoulder at the data pad he was holding.

"Pirates? Sounds like fun."

The spectre growled lightly, warning her. "You're not coming."

"So we're going to the citadel first?"

He didn't answer, but she understood that the citadel was not their next destination.

"It's boring just sitting here waiting, and if I remember correctly, I was pretty helpful on that last mission. I seem to recall saving your ass."

The volume of the growl increased and it lowered in pitch. She was annoying him and she knew it.

"The great Spectre, Saren Arterius, being rescued by a human teenager. Imagine what people would say about you. As much as you hate humans, we're not all worthless. Is it really so hard for you to admit that?"

That was it. Saren's patience was at an end. Normally he was excellent at controlling his emotions but this girl had a knack for getting on his nerves. Saren stood with a speed too fast for Cira to react properly, and grabbed her arm, swinging her around until her back hit the wall. One hand closed on her shoulder and the other wrapped around her neck. She dangled in his grip, her feet a few inches from the floor. He leaned in, until his face was right beside hers and he whispered in a menacingly low voice.

"I can admit that YOU are not worthless. You were enrolled in an elite school so you must have some talent. But as intelligent as you might be, you won't live long if you treat life like a game, where you always get a second chance. I failed to kill you once and now you believe you are safe from me when in reality I am close to just ripping your throat out."

He had frightened her. She was good at hiding it but he noticed the slight widening of her eyes and her quickened breath; the way her body trembled slightly. She knew he could kill her easily. What she wanted to know was why he didn't. He had tried once and failed but there had been plenty of other opportunities and he hadn't taken them. He answered her unspoken question.

"The fact is, you are alive because I know that you may be of some use to me. If I am wrong, I will simply end your life."

As if to punctuate this last statement, he tightened his grip on her neck, letting the very tips of his talons break through her skin. He stared at her with a cold look in his eyes, daring her to make another smart comment. They stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity. Finally Cira lowered her gaze, figuring that it would be best to let Saren win this round.

"If I can't help on missions, I can upgrade your ship. Some of the students in the academy were writing new defense protocols. It even takes me a while to break through them. I can also allow your AI to detect advanced cloaking devices like the one I used to sneak onboard."

Saren released her and stepped back. She wasn't sure if he was completely calm again so she continued.

"I can improve the ship's barriers and make custom modifications for all of your weapons and…"

The spectre raised a hand to stop her. "You won't be here long enough for all of that. Focus on the defense and the cloaking upgrades."

She agreed and headed back to the cargo bay. When the door closed behind her, she smirked. The turian Spectre was pretty fun to be around. As long as she didn't make him too angry, she should be alright. She grabbed a snack from the box of supplies that she had purchases in the city, took a seat on her makeshift bed and began working out how to incorporate the new cloaking upgrades into the ship.

Saren didn't move until Cira disappeared back through the cargo hold door. He really had been dangerously close to tearing the girl apart. At least now he had more of a reason not to. He was getting his ship upgraded for almost nothing. He didn't trust her though, so he ordered Liam to monitor everything she did.

The coordinates for their next destination were set in the ship's computer and they were on their way. Saren retired to his quarters where he sat at his desk. On the console, he pulled up the video files he had taken from the school. After some searching, he found the section that held the mercenary attack.

* * *

_The dining hall was filled with students of all species. There were Asari, Salarians, Turians, and even a few humans. While the three council races mingled among each other, talking about the various events going on in the galaxy, the humans stayed together, in a table in a corner. They ate quickly and quietly and when they were finished, they left. No one seemed to notice their departure. _

_Suddenly the room went quiet as the doors to the hall opened and a line of Asari Mercs marched in with guns raised. No one moved until one Asari, obviously their commander, gave the order to fire. The room sprang to life. Students screamed and ran in all different directions, trying to escape. Some left the dining hall, some hid in cabinets in the kitchen area, and a good number tried to fight. Biotics blasts flew from both side and teachers drew out weapons and fired at the enemies. But after a while the students began to tire and their attacks became less forceful. The mercs took the opportunity and opened fire. After a few minutes, the floor was littered with the bodies of students, teachers and quite a few of the mercenaries as well, but there were still a lot of mercs left. _

_Their leader sent teams off to secure the rest of the school. Those that remained in the dining hall began looting the bodies surrounding them. When they were finished, they waited for the others to return._

* * *

Nothing new happened for a while so Saren skipped forward until something in the corner caught his eye. Up in the decorative beams that crossed the ceiling of hall, two human students were perched in a corner. He didn't recognize the person with her but the other was definitely Cira. He played the footage.

* * *

_Cira sat with her companion, watching the mercs below them. She was holding something in her lap and pressing buttons on it. When it was set, she leaned out over the room and dropped it. The device landed on the floor with a loud THWACK. The mercenaries came over to investigate, peering at the device then up at the ceiling to see where it came from. Cira had moved back far enough to avoid being seen but her companion was still slightly visible and the Mercs fired at him. He tried his best to get out of the way but one of the shots hit his chest, knocking him backward and off the beam. He toppled to the ground, landing on his head with loud crack as his neck snapped. The Mercs checked him just in case and confirmed that he was dead. _

_Cira seemed unfazed by her partner's death. She waited quietly, covered by shadows, until the device activated. Nothing seemed to happen but all at once the Asari, collapsed to their knees, dropping their guns and clamping their hands to the sides of their heads; where the equivalent to human ears would be. They didn't even notice as Cira pulled a sniper rifle off of her back and took aim, taking them out one by one._

_When they were all dead, Cira waited for the rest to return. During that time, she prepared another one of those devices. Apparently whatever sound the Asari had heard only played for a little while because when one of the groups returned, they didn't collapse like the first Mercs had. Cira dropped the second device and the Asari below screeched in agony. She shot them quickly and set about preparing yet another device. This pattern was repeated four more times and soon most of the mercenaries lay dead on the dining hall floor. After shooting the last Merc, Cira crawled back along the beams and out of sight._

* * *

Not wanting to miss anything important, Saren cycled through the footage from various cameras until he found her again.

_Cira entered the security room and immediately began hacking into one of the terminals. She succeeded and a VI interface popped up in front of her._

_"Please input pass code." _

_Cira turned to look at the guards that sat motionless in their chairs, having been quickly dispatched by the school's attackers. She shuddered slightly then began searching through one guard's clothing until she located his pass code. When the VI had confirmed the code, she quickly stated her request."_

_"I need a status report on all students and faculty."_

_The VI took a moment to process the request then replied. "Headmaster Damus Karic: Turian, Deceased; Professor Weshra Pierce: Asari, deceased; Professor Fali Hynn: Asari, deceased…"_

_Cira shook her head in frustration. "Just tell me who is still alive and where they are."_

_"Cira Dontana Roselli: Human, current location, security room two."_

_The girl waited anxiously but the VI went silent. She started shouting at it but hastily lowered her voice in case there were still any mercs around. "Who else? I need to know if anyone is still alive and where they are in the school."_

_"No other registered life forms detected."_

_Cira slowly backed away from the VI until her back hit the wall. Her legs gave out and she collapsed into a heap, still staring dumbfounded at the VI._

_"Just me? But this is an elite school. Some of the most talented students in the galaxy go here. Even ones who were training to become Spectres. They can't all be dead. It doesn't make any sense." She kept mumbling quietly for a few minutes but went silent when the sound footsteps reached her ears. A voice followed. _

_"Someone killed them; either a student or one of the teachers. Whoever it was, they are hiding here somewhere. But we'll find them." The voice grew quieter as the speaker moved away and Cira released the breath she had been holding. When she was pretty sure that they were gone, she cracked the door open to peek out. Seeing no one, she exited the security room._

* * *

Once again Saren lost her and had to shuffle through the cameras. However he couldn't find her on any of them. Maybe she had gone to an unmonitored area. He flipped back to the dining hall camera. That was where he had found her so she had to have come back at some point. He had only been waiting a few minutes before she reappeared. Only she was being dragged in my two Mercenaries while a group of four followed.

_ They threw her to the ground next to the body of their leader. One of the mercenaries kicked at her head causing it to snap to the side. Cira spit blood onto the Asari's armored boots which only made her angrier. The Merc instructed two of her teammates to hold Cira up. When they had followed her instructions, The Asari released a volley of punches into Cira's stomach. The human girl doubled over in pain but her captors held fast and did not let her collapse. The Asari who seemed to be the replacement for their deceased leader, spit in Cira's face._

_"A school for the elite? Complete bullshit. Look how easy it was to kill everyone here. With a little help from an inside source, we were able to sneak in without any trouble while you were all completely defenseless. I guess none of you have had any real combat experience have you." Another punch, this time to Cira's face. The two Asari holding her shoved her forward toward her attacker who brought her knee up to connect with Cira's chin. The girl fell to the ground, bleeding from her nose and mouth. The new leader laughed and began charging her biotics. Cira pushed herself up to a seated position and rushed to pull a small gadget from her pocket. When the mercenaries saw it, they dove for her but they weren't fast enough. Cira activated the device and a barrier formed around her. The Asari ran right into it and flew backward into the wall. Temporarily safe behind the protective field, Cira activated her omni tool and began typing. She didn't use a device like the ones before, but around her the mercenaries dropped to their knees screaming. Cira remained inside her barrier, watching as her attackers writhed in pain. She typed something else and their screams increased. She didn't release the barrier until she was sure they couldn't get up and attack her. When she did, she picked up the gun of a fallen mercenary. The current leader glared up at her, still unable to move due to pain. _

_"You're a coward. You can't even face us without your little gadgets."_

_Cira smirked. "You're right. I could probably take on up to three of you. I'd just prefer not to."_

_A sinister grin crossed the Asari's face. "Fine. Just you and me. If you win, you get to live. How about it?"_

_Cira paused for a moment, as if considering it. She smiled sweetly at the mercenary below her. "No thanks." She pulled the trigger. _

_After the remaining mercenaries were taken care of, Cira went into the kitchen area. She placed the barrier device near the cabinets then disappeared from the hall. After a few minutes she returned with weapons and an armful of the devices she had used to incapacitate the Asari. She collected food items from around the kitchen and placed them next to the barrier. When she was finished, she crawled inside one of the cabinets and closed the door._

* * *

Saren sped through the rest of the tape in case something else had happened, but it was uneventful. He shut down the video and sat back in his chair, analyzing what he had seen. Someone in the school had helped the mercenaries pull off the attack. It didn't matter who, they were probably dead. Cira had been smart to use those devices to gain an advantage over the Asari. The kitchen had also been a good place to stay. If any more mercenaries came, the counter dividing the kitchen from the rest of the hall would provide good cover and she would be able to protect the area with the barrier. She also had more of those weird gadgets in case more Asari came. Saren made a mental note to ask her what exactly the devices function was. His best guess would be that it emitted a tone at a pitch that only Asari were able to hear and that, if used in a certain way, would harm any Asari that heard it. Still he wanted to be sure.

After watching the footage, Saren thought that it might be beneficial to bring Cira along on certain missions. She may not be big on direct combat but she was good at using whatever she could get her hands on to gain an advantage. Human or not, he might as well put all of her abilities to use while she was here.

**So that's chapter 3. I promise that the romance part is coming next. Warning: Thing do not get REALLY good until the next story. She is only 17 in this one after all. Just stick with me. Thanks! **

**Reviews and ideas would be awesome.**


	4. Chapter 4

**So here is Chapter 4. WARNING: Involves a minor in a sexual situation...in a dream but still if that's not something you want to read than stop now (or when you get to the italics). Anyway this is my first attempt at writing a cross species romance so don't hate me too much if it sucks.**

Cira was having fun. Something had convinced Saren to change his mind about bringing her on missions and now she was on some strange planet fighting a group of Batarian pirates. Well what she was doing was more cyber warfare. While Saren handled the direct combat, she stayed hidden and hacked her way into mecs and security systems to turn them against the pirates. That was the area she was most talented in so that was what Saren had her doing. The two of them plowed their way through the enemies. Their goal was to find out if the Batarians were in possession of a weapon prototype that had been stolen from a team of Salarian scientists. Saren still hadn't decided if the Salarians were actually going to get the weapon back; that depended on how powerful it was.

He caught a hint of movement to his right and turned to see a mec approaching, he aimed at it, not sure if it Cira had hacked it or not. He had his answer when it waved to him enthusiastically. He shook his head and turned his attention to the dwindling number of enemies. With the mecs, killing of the pirates hadn't taken as long as he had first thought. And soon all they had left to do was locate the weapon. He stepped farther into the pirate base, taking an elevator to the lower levels. Cira had chosen follow along but remain hidden.

The weapon was being kept in a vault on the lowest level of the base. Saren examined it closely, thinking of a way to get into it. It seemed almost like an old fashioned human safe, with a large dial and numbers; not something that he knew how to get into. He spoke into his com unit.

"Cira, how much do you know about safes?"

"Depends on what kind it is. Give me a minute; I'll come take a look."

She appeared beside him no more than sixty seconds later. After examining the safe as Saren had done, she concluded that she did not know how to open it.

"It's a very old kind of safe. I don't even know where they could have gotten it. I can't just open it, though I have something that might be able to cut through it."

She grabbed two things off of her belt, yet another item she had purchases. One was a spool of some sort of wire and the other was something shaped like a small gun without a trigger. Cira unraveled a length of wire and pressed it against the safe around the lock. Once that was finished, she pressed the tip of the gun against the wire. It sizzled a bit, and then the wire glowed a bright blue color. Cira stepped back as the line of blue sank into the metal of the safe, cutting through completely. When the light disappeared, she pried her fingers into the cut and pulled the door open before stepping away to let Saren enter.

"There you go. Now I'm going to look around." She ran off.

Saren walked into the safe. It was empty save for a stand in the back with a curious looking staff resting on top. He grabbed the stick, watching closely for anything that might set off a trap. When nothing happened, he took a closer look. There was nothing remarkable about it; just a plain metal walking stick, yet when he held it, he felt an energy flowing through him. He was a biotic, though he rarely used his powers, and holding the staff made him more aware of the biotic energy within him. It made him feel even more powerful than before. Forget returning it to the Salarians, he would keep this one.

Saren was just about to exit the vault when Cira contacted him.

"Saren, stay in the safe! There's a bomb down here, it's going to…"

He heard it. Not far away an explosion sounded and the ground shook, throwing him slightly off balance. For about a second, he wondered what happened to Cira, but she appeared then, throwing herself into the safe, and dropping something on the ground just outside. She pulled the door closed, just as a shockwave hit, the vault fell to the side, tossing them against the wall. They knelt together in the corner while around them, they heard the base collapsing. Saren eyed the walls of the safe, not sure if it would protect them. It seemed sturdy enough but if it caved in, they were both dead.

Cira noticed his look. "The safe is probably strong enough to protect us, but just in case, I placed a barrier around it. That will definitely protect us."

He simply nodded and they both remained silent until the sounds died down. When all was quiet, Cira crept to the vault door and pushed it open. The barrier was completely surrounding the safe, holding up dirt and pieces of metal. They were stuck in a safe over fifty feet underground. Cira stepped back inside the vault, watching as Saren stepped out next and surveyed their surroundings.

"Any ideas?"

He didn't answer for a moment. He had an idea, but if it didn't work; it was highly likely that they would both die. Still, there wasn't much of a choice. There was no one near here to dig them out and even if there was, they wouldn't get to them before they starved.

"Release the barrier." He ordered.

Cira raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. She was sure that the vault would hold up for at least a little while. She picked up the barrier device and deactivated it while Saren stepped back into the safe. Once the blue biotic wall vanished, the pieces of the building that it had been holding up collapsed, landing hard onto the safe. Part of what used to be the wall, wound up blocking the entrance, trapping them inside. Saren glanced back at Cira. "How much of that wire do you have?"

She checked her belt. "The spool is full. It should last for a while. I guess we're cutting our way out."

He nodded, then placed the rod weapon under his arm. Cira eyed the weapon curiously. "That's what was in here? A BE-P-M 8?"

"What's that?"

"A Biotic Enhancement Prototype, Model Eight. I was part of a group of students working on the ninth version."

"What's wrong with this one?"

"It works well, amplifying ones biotic powers tenfold, but it takes a heavy toll on the body. Not many biotics are physically strong enough to use it. The Batarians must have thought it was worth something. But it would only be valuable to someone capable of using it. It might be useful in getting us out of here."

Without another word, she stepped up to the section of wall that blocked their path. Using the wire, she made a large square and cut through it like she had with the vault. Beyond there was a space small enough for Cira to fit through. She crawled in and turned back to Saren.

"Hold the rod and focus your energy. Make a field where I am and expand it."

Though he didn't like taking orders from a seventeen year old, she knew more about this device then he did and whether he liked it or not, staying with her offered the best chance at survival. He did as he was told, creating a field of energy and pushing it outward, making the space big enough for him to fit as well. The BE-P-M worked very well. Even with all of the weight from the collapsed building, he could easily push the debris away from them as they worked their way toward the surface. But he could already feel the effects on his body. His energy was quickly draining away. Cira kept a close eye on him, stopping often so he could rest. She had seen people die from using the rod too much, and she didn't want Saren to get hurt. He was stronger than most of the test subjects had been but he wasn't invincible.

They kept going until Cira cut through another wall and revealed an underground garage. It was still mostly intact though there was some major damage. Saren was getting weaker and was leaning heavily on Cira as she guided him through the garage, hoping that they would be lucky enough to find a working vehicle. By the time she located one, she was practically dragging Saren along, which for her was no easy feat. As had often been pointed out by the other students at the academy and various other beings she had met throughout her life, she was very small, a lot smaller than the average seventeen year old human girl. On top of that, the Turian Spectre was heavy. If she didn't get him into a vehicle soon, he might just crush her; or at least immobilize her.

"Hang in there Saren. You can pass out after you get your ass in the car." She dragged him the last few feet and pulled the car door open. Saren barely had enough strength to pull himself in with Cira pushing from behind but they were able to get him seated. Cira got into the driver's seat and went to work hotwiring the vehicle. It didn't take long and as they sped through the garage up a series of ramps that would take them to the surface, the last of Saren's strength left him and he drifted off.

* * *

_They were back on the ship now; relaxing after a hard day of work. It had been so long since he just sat back and enjoyed the quiet hum of the ship's drive core. No gunfire, no explosions, no buildings collapsing on top of him, nothing except him…and Cira. She was behind him but he couldn't turn to see her. Something held him in place even as she wrapped her arms around him, pressing her lips against the soft skin underneath his fringe. A low growl erupted in the back of his throat as she kissed her way down the side of his neck, over the back of his shoulders and up the other side. She followed the same trail again, this time nipping gently before soothing the pain with more kisses. Her hands explored his body, moving around his chest, then down his arms as far as she could reach. _

_She moved in front of him, swinging her hips and smiling coyly. There was something different about her but Saren couldn't quite figure out what it was. It was pulling at the edges of his mind but she effectively distracted him by sitting in his lap facing him, her legs on either side of his. She leaned in and ran the tip of her tongue along his left mandible. Her hands found the clasps on his shirt and started undoing them. When she finally pulled it off, she ran her small fingers over the plates on his chest, causing them to shift slightly, revealing a strip of the sensitive skin underneath. Cira stroked him there using only the slightest pressure but his growl became louder and lowered in pitch. He was enjoying this and not being able to move only increased the intensity of what she was doing. _

_She turned her attention to his waist, rubbing the skin there, causing the plates that protected another area, a little lower, to separate. He lost it then, breaking through whatever had been holding him to the chair. Grabbing Cira, he slammed her against the wall, lifting her up until she was forced to rest her legs on his hip spurs. He glanced at her face to see her reaction, expecting…maybe fear, but those golden eyes only held excitement and it fueled his lust for her. With one deft swipe, his claws tore through the thin shirt she wore, tossing it to the ground behind him, leaving her bare from the waist up, save for a plain black bra. _

_Saren leaned in close and grazed his teeth over her neck and along her collarbone. She shivered in response to his touch, and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer. He ran the tips of his claws down her waist, satisfied when her back arched away from the wall. Taking the opportunity, he cut through the straps that held the bra in place, letting it fall away. He palmed her breasts, relishing the little moans that escaped her lips. Leaning down, he wrapped his tongue around one of her nipples while lightly pinching the other. Her head fell back against the wall and she closed her eyes, enjoying his ministrations. He stopped everything then and stepped away from the wall, supporting her as he carried her into his cabin and set her on the bed. She held still as he stripped away the rest of his own clothing and then hers._

* * *

Saren woke startled. He grabbed the gun that he always kept hidden near the bed and glanced around the room. Cira was standing by the door. She had been on her way out after leaving a cup of tea for him. After glancing at the gun he held, she shook her head, smirking, and then left. Saren stood up of shaky legs. Apparently the effects of using the BE-P-M hadn't quite subsided. Or maybe it was from that dream.

Saren was thoroughly disgusted with himself; having such dreams about a human, a SEVENTEEN year old human. And where had the dream come from? Though Cira did look slightly better than most humans he'd seen, he had never considered their species attractive, and there was nothing about Cira that would make him see her as a potential mate. She was annoying, defiant, and took pleasure in pushing him to his limit. Often she had pestered him with streams of questions and snide remarks until he was close to just throwing her in the airlock again. If he knocked her out first, she wouldn't be able to stop him.

He slowly made his way into the main room of the ship where he found Cira in the middle of a discussion with Liam. He took a moment to study her. By human standards she was average, she had blonde hair, dark brown eyes, nothing extraordinary. Saren thought back to his dream. _Those golden eyes held only excitement. _He had noticed something different about her, and yes, her eye color had been different, but there was something else; something he couldn't quite grasp.

Cira noticed him watching her and regarded him coolly. "You shouldn't be up. The BE-P-M took a lot out of you. Using it that much might have killed anyone else. Drink that tea I left you, you'll feel better."

He ignored her, coming closer and using the back of her chair for support. "How did you get me on the ship?"

She smiled mischievously and repeatedly tapped a finger against her mouth. "Would you believe me if I said that I'm stronger than I look?"

"No."

She tried her best to look offended, barely succeeding. "Ouch. But you're right; I'm not all that strong. I can kick pretty hard; you know that."

He growled "Cira…"

"Ok ok, don't get all pissed off. I had a little help. Another Spectre showed up. I guess he was after the BE-P-M 8 as well. He said his name was Nihlus. Nihlus Kryik, I believe. He's in the cargo hold if you want to talk to him, but you really should lie back down."

Saren simply snorted and left the room in search of his old pupil. As Cira had said, he was in the cargo hold examining the biotic rod. He set it down as Saren entered.

"It's been a while hasn't it? I was surprised, meeting you here. Didn't think you'd be interested in something like this." He motioned toward the BE-P-M then continued. "And you're traveling with a human. Are you really Saren?"

He laughed but Saren just stared at him, not offering any reaction. "Why are you here Kryik?"

"I take it you mean 'why am I on your ship' because the reason I am on this planet should be clear. I need a ride back to the Citadel. My ship is damaged and won't be able to make the journey. I had that Cira girl take a look, but she doesn't have the right equipment to fix it. Why are you traveling with her anyway?"

"That's none of your concern. I'll take you to the Citadel." He turned and hurried out and back to his cabin. He was still weak and would need more rest before he could function normally.

"Liam, get us to the Citadel ASAP."

The tea that Cira had left for him was getting cool but he still didn't drink it. He didn't trust her enough to eat or drink anything she made or him. He lay down, checking that his gun was in its usual hiding place before dozing off, not wanting to reenter a deep sleep with two other beings on his ship. It wouldn't be long before he was rid of both of them and back to his peaceful solitude.

**Ok, please don't hate me. Sorry if that was bad. It's the first time I've written anything like this and I tried my best. Of course I couldn't take it too far because she IS still a minor. If you hated it let me know. Same if you liked it. Any feedback would really help me improve because like I said I want to continue this story.**

**Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**This is the last Chapter of Fit to Burst. But it won't be the last of Cira and Saren. Hope you enjoy!**

The trip to the citadel was fairly uneventful. Saren spent most of his time in his cabin going through data pads filled with information on every group of mercs, bandits and pirates he had ever heard of. Cira worked on the upgrades to Saren's ship and the various devices she had brought with her from the school, and Nihlus was determined to learn everything he could about the human girl traveling with his anti-human mentor.

"I still can't wrap my head around the fact that he hasn't tossed you in the airlock yet." He leaned against a crate across from Cira's makeshift bed, watching closely as she made a replica of her barrier device.

"He did, but I took over his ship. I also completely disabled the airlock so he couldn't try again."

"And Liam didn't find out?"

"I made a few changes to the ship's protocols. Liam will think the airlock is still functioning properly. I'll fix it before I leave."

Nihlus's mandibles twitched and Cira noticed that he looked slightly amused.

"So you're pretty good at all this…tech stuff?"

"You could say that." She grinned at him before turning her attention back to the device in her hands.

Liam's robotic voice sounded through the ship's intercom.

"We will arrive at the Citadel in 5 minutes."

Cira set her work aside and began packing her things. Nihlus only had his guns with him so he just watched as she threw various gadgets of all shapes and sizes into a large duffel bag.

"What is all of that anyway?"

She closed the bag and cradled it close to her body. "There projects me and other students were working on. I've got some of the most advanced technology in this bag. The cloaking and barrier devices I've been using are nothing compared to what's in here…if I can finish them. A lot of them are still just basic ideas, prototypes, but I'm sure with enough time I can figure out how to…"

She trailed off, starring at the walls of the cargo hold, seemingly lost in thought. Nihlus was about to call out to her when she spoke; barely a whisper.

"Some of these things belong to the best of us. Students so much smarter than me. How was I able to survive when they couldn't? How could they have been killed so easily?"

Cira swayed slightly and Nihlus placed a hand on her arm to steady her. "I'm sorry about what happened Cira." It didn't seem like enough but he didn't know what else to say.

"Sorry? Why are you sorry? You weren't there; had nothing to do with it…I was the one who couldn't stop them…I…" Her breathing was heavy and she was squeezing her eyes shut, as if trying to block out the memory. Nihlus placed an arm around her shoulders in a slightly awkward attempt to comfort her. After a moment, she opened her eyes again, seeming calmer.

"Sorry for that Nihlus. Thank you."

He gave a slight nod. "Anytime."

She slung her bag over her shoulder and followed him out of the cargo hold.

No one spoke as Liam guided the ship toward the Citadel docking bay. Cira was still stuck in memories, Saren was busy examining Cira, still wondering what had caused his dream and Nihlus was watching Saren, wondering why he was staring at Cira. When the ship was docked, the three of them left the ship, pausing in the docking bay. Nihlus said his goodbyes, claiming he needed to acquire a new ship.

The remaining two stood there for a moment until Saren noticed that Cira was looking around like a small lost animal.

"You've never been to the Citadel have you?"

She shook her head and Saren sighed. "I'll take you to the human ambassador. C-sec probably wouldn't know what to do with you."

The elevator ride to the embassies was slow and absolutely silent. Cira normally would have filled the empty air with questions and comments about the new environment she was in but her little episode on the ship left her in a gloomy mood. So there was no conversation, just the light hum of whatever drove the elevator. She made a mental note to find out and make it faster.

When at last they reached their destination, they found Ambassador Udina at his desk. He looked vaguely annoyed at the interruption but was not dumb enough to voice a complaint.

"Spectre Arterius. I was not expecting a visit from you. How might I be of service?"

Saren motioned toward Cira. "This is the only surviving student from Hailroy Academy."

The girl stepped forward and Udina fixed her with an almost bored look.

"What is your name girl?"

"Cira Roselli."

"There hasn't been a team sent out to investigate the school yet. Would you mind telling me exactly what happened there?"

Before she could begin, Saren interrupted saying he had other business to attend to and that he would leave Cira in Udina's hands.

She watched the turian spectre as he strode purposefully out of the room. He was probably glad to be rid of her. The Ambassador caught her attention again by loudly clearing his throat. She sighed, steeling herself before reliving the attack for him.

She had just finished her story when someone else entered the office. She could feel the newcomer's eyes on her back as they approached the desk.

"Anderson, what are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you until later."

"Forgive me Ambassador, but I heard that Spectre Arterius was seen bringing a human child into your office. I simply came to investigate."

Udina introduced Cira and explained her situation to Anderson. When he had finished, the Capitan seemed quite saddened by the news.

"All those students…some of the best this galaxy had to offer killed so easily. I guess that makes you the best of the best."

Cira shook her head enthusiastically. "No, I wasn't the best of the students. Best of the humans maybe but there were others far smarter and stronger than me."

"But you survived. They didn't."

"I got lucky."

"Luck had nothing to do with it. Look Roselli, why not join the Alliance. We could use people with your tech skills and you could help prevent things like this from happening to anyone else."

She thought about what he said for a moment. "No. Until we learn to see the future we can't prevent all incidents like these. We can only respond as fast as we can and hope to save someone. Besides, I'm only seventeen."

"Then wait a year. Responding to incidents like the one at the academy is better than trying to forget what happened there, don't you think? At least you're trying."

She nodded slowly. She would have to think about it but she understood his point.

"I'll consider it Sir."

"I hope so. Now if you would excuse us, I have some business to discuss with the Ambassador. If you need a place to stay, I'm sure C-sec can provide you with temporary lodgings."

"Not necessary Sir, I can afford an apartment."

Anderson raised one eyebrow slightly but didn't comment. Cira nodded respectfully to both men and left the room.

She wasn't sure what to do with herself. She had rented an apartment; a nice one that overlooked the Presidium lakes. The only goal she had was to continue working on the gadgets she had taken from the school. The thought flashed through her mind that she should try and locate her parents. They had sent her to Hailroy when she had been accepted, promising that they would visit when they could, but a few years later, they disappeared. Cira didn't know what had happened to them but she did know that they were alive because about a week after they vanished she received a credit chit from an anonymous sender and every month 300,000 credits were transferred onto it. Cira had never needed much money and she wasn't even completely sure it was her parents sending it to her, but she couldn't think of anyone else who would. Seeing the credits increase each month gave her a small hope that they were out there somewhere and had only_ 'mostly abandoned' _her. Yes, that's what she would do with her time on the Citadel; try to locate and reconnect with her mother and father. She would think about joining the military later.

After staring out at the lakes for what seemed like hours, Cira began wondering what business Saren had wanted to take care of. She was already starting to miss annoying him. After giving it some thought, she decided to head down to the docking bay and see if he'd left yet. He hadn't. Cira was about to go looking for him when she remembered that she had disabled his ship's airlock. She convinced Liam to let her on board and went to work fixing the sabotage.

It didn't take her long and it was amusing for her to hear the AI's mechanical version of a surprised voice when he realized that she had managed to trick him once again. They chatted a little bit about how she was able to do that when the door opened and Saren strode in. When he saw Cira sitting at the controls, he just stood there, waiting for her to explain.

"Hey Saren. I was just adding the finishing touches to the upgrades. Your barriers are stronger than ever and now even I will take at least 2 minutes to hack into the ship's systems. Liam can also detect more advanced cloaking devices now."

She paused, looking around. "I guess you'll be leaving now."

"Yes."

"Well good luck with…well everything…mainly with becoming less of an asshole but with other stuff too, like missions…"

She stood, debating whether she should offer a handshake. It probably wasn't a Turian thing and the meaning would be lost on him, if he even accepted the gesture, so she decided against it. Instead she just headed for the exit, turning back just before the door closed behind her.

"Good-bye Saren. Thanks for the ride."

**Ok so that's the end of the first story. I'm not sure what I'm calling the next one yet but if you liked this story I will be continuing it. Thank you to all the people who reviewed, you're awesome!**


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